Bolted tank



June 1, 1937- J. P. WALKER BOLTED TANK Filed Feb. 21, 1936 gwue/rvtom JW2 Maurie Patented June 1, 1937 PATENT OFFICE BOLTED Jay P. Walker,Tulsa, per cent to Guy 0. Mar to G. G. Wells, Tulsa, 0

Application February 21,

12 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in bolted tanks.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved bolted tank jointmaking for more ready and rapid assembly, stability and generalconvenience.

A particular object of the invention is to provide improved means forholding the bolts in position when assembling sections of a tank,particularly the roof, and for holding said bolts against rotation whenthe nuts are secured thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bolt-holding meansco-acting with an angle rafter so as to reinforce said rafter, thuspermitting the use of a lighter weight rafter.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved sheet,rafter, and bolt-holding assembly which enables the placing and boltingof the roof sheets without the use of auxiliary temporary supports.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet assembly wherebythe angle rafter may be fastened to the sheet and the bolts held in therafter and sheet against rotation, prior to the mounting of the sheet onthe tank.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved deck or tankseam for bolted metal tanks, which is nonbreathing at the seam becausethe joint bolts are placed in such a position that the deck supportingmeans will co-act asa support and a stiffener to prevent movement of thetwo sheets, which are placed one over the other in such a way as toprevent any movement laterally or longitudinally at the joint when thetank is subjected to pressure or vacuum, or any other means by which thedeck may be raised or lowered.

.A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed, together with the other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, in

a whichan example of the invention is shown,

and wherein: Figure l .is a transverse, vertical sectional view of theupper portion of a tank constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view of a tank roof constructed in accordance withthe invention,

Figure 3 is an enlarged, horizontal cross-sectional view of the roofjoint,

Figure 4 is a perspectiveview of a portion of one of the rafters and itsbolt assembly, and

TANK

kla., assignor of forty chant and six per cent kla.

1936, Serial No. 65,008

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of another form of sheet andrafter assembly.

In the drawing, the numeral l0 designates one of the sector shapedsheets of which the roof of I a metal storage tank is usually formed. Itis 5 customary to construct such a tank with an upright wall ll havingan outturned annular flange I2 along its upper edge. A collar or thimblei2 is usually provided in the center and this may be supported by aladder l3 or any other upright member. Access is usually had to suchstorage tanks by a thief haitch (not shown) therefore a cover plate I4is usually bolted across the top of the collar I2 to close the tank. Thecollar is provided with an annular outwardly extending flange or skirtl5 which may have the same pitch as the roof sheets I0.

In erecting a tank of this character the side wall H is set up after thebottom (not shown) has been placed in position. The ladder l3 and 0 thecollar l2 are then set up in the middle of the tank and temporarily heldin any suitable manner. The first sheet In is then placed in positionwith its upper inner end resting on the skirt I5 and its lower outer endresting on the 5 flange l2. The outer ends of the sheets may be fastenedto the flange I2 by bolts l6 and nuts I! while the inner ends arefastened on the skirt by bolts l8 and nuts IS. The diflicult operationis the bolting together of the overlapping side edges of the sheets Ill.The bolts 20 are usually passed up through the sheets so that the nuts2| may be screwed onto the bolts from the outside of the tank.

It has been common practice to place a strip 5 of wood on the ground andinsert the bolts from. the underside of the sheet so that by picking upthe strip and the sheet together the heads of the bolts will besupported by the strip. The strip and sheet are then placed on theflange I2 and 4 skirt [5 which permits the joint to be formed in theusual manner. The strip must then be removed before the bolts i6 and 18are placed. This is an unsatisfactory method and has many objections.wIf the strip becomes misplaced the bolts will fall out and further it isdesirable to fasten the bolts l6 and 18 in place before completing theseams or joints between the sheets Ill. The invention has to do with anarrangement whereby the wooden strip may be omitted and improved meansprovided for supporting the bolts and at the same time holding themagainst rotation, it being obvious that the wooden strip will nothold-the bolts against rotation. Another end sought is to providerafters which will strengthen and support the seams between the sheets,but which will not be excessive in Weight. In applying the invention anordinary angle rafter 22 is employed for each seam. Each rafter is madeof such length as to terminate short of the wall I l and the skirt I5,as is shown in Figure 1. The rafter is disposed with the outer edge ofits horizontal leg substantially flush with the edge of the sheet In andwith its vertical leg offset inwardly, as is shown in Figure 3.

In order to attach the rafter to the underside of the sheet, so thatsaid rafter will be supported when the sheet is placed on the tank, thehorizontal leg of the rafter is provided with spaced bolt holes 23receiving bolts 24. These bolts have their heads countersunk in enlargedholes 25 along the side edge of the sheet 1-0 and are fastened by nuts26. Three or four of these bolts will be suflicient to fasten the rafterto the sheet. It is obvious that the rafter could be secured to thesheet in many different ways and in Figure 5 I have shown welds 21 forthis purpose. Any suitable means may be used.

The horizontal leg of the rafter is provided with regularly spaced boltholes 28 in the usual manner and the bolts 20 are passed upwardlytherethrough and also through holes 29 in the sheet ID. The heads 30 ofthe bolts are usually square but could be shaped otherwise so long asthey have at least one fiat side. The bolts are supported and heldagainst rotation in the rafter by an angle bar 3| which is fastened tothe veritcal leg of the rafter 22 by bolts 32 and nuts 33. A few ofthese bolts are sufficient for the purpose. The bar 3| is provided withan upstanding longitudinal rib 34 which has a flat side exposed to theheads 30 of the bolts 20. If the heads do not contact this rib, they arein such close proximity as to be held against rotation thereby. The bar3! is subject to variation in shape and while the rib 34 may have aheight equal to the thickness of the heads 30, at the same time this isnot essential. It is obvious that the bar 3| could be fastened to thevertical leg of the rafter by any suitable means.

The rafter having been fastened to the underside of the sheet I 0, thebolts 20 having been placed in position and the bar 31 secured in place,the assembly is then ready to be lifted and placed on top of the tank,as shown in Figure 1. It is customary to lay an elastic packing strip 35on top of the sheet l0, said strip being punched to receive the bolts20. When the next sheet I0 is placed it is provided with spaced boltopenings 36 so as to receive the bolts 20 and to rest on the strip 35.The nuts 2| may then be screwed onto the bolts 20, in the usual manner,and the joint or seam is completed. It is pointed out that the angle bar3| reinforces the rafter and therefore a much lighter rafter may be usedbecause of such reinforcement. It would be possible to place all of thesheets and fasten them with the bolts l6 and I8 before putting any ofthe nuts 2| on the bolts 20. A roof of this character may be veryquickly erected. While I have described the invention as applied to aroof seam, it is to be understood that it may be used on any other seamof a tank of other structure.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A joint including, overlapping sheets, an underslung rafter attachedto the edge portion of the under sheet, bolts extending through therafter and sheets and having their heads adjacent the under side of therafter, and means attached to the under side of the rafter forsupporting the bolt heads and having an upstanding projection forholding said bolt heads against rotation.

2. A joint including, overlapping sheets, an underslung rafter attachedto the edge portion of the under sheet and angular in cross-section,bolts extending through one leg of the rafter and 'having their headsadjacent the same, and a bar sheet, and an elongate member secured tothe.

rafter opposite the bolt holes thereof for supporting bolts in saidrafter and sheet and for holding such bolts against rotation when soinserted.

4. A roof rafter including, a rafter member angular in cross-section andprovided with spaced bolt holes, and a bar extending longitudinally ofthe rafter in the angle thereof and having means for holding the headsof bolts inserted in the holes of the rafter against rotation.

5. A roof rafter including, a rafter member angular in cross-section andprovided with spaced bolt holes, and a bar angular in crosssectionextending longitudinally of the rafter in the angle thereof and attachedthereto, said bar having means for holding the heads of bolts insertedin the bolt holes of the rafter against rotation.

6. A roof rafter including, a rafter member angular in cross-section andprovided with spaced bolt holes, a bar angular in cross-sectionextending longitudinally of the rafter in the angle thereof, said barbeing secured to one leg of the rafter and spaced from the other leg ofsaid rafter opposite the bolt holes thereof, and a projection extendinglongitudinally of the bar on the spaced leg thereof and directed towardthe rafter for holding bolt heads against rotation.

7. A tank including, an upright annular wall, a central collar, aplurality of roof sheets having their outer edges fastened on the tankwall and their inner ends fastened on the collar, angular rafterssecured to the under side of the sheets between the tank wall and thecollar, the sheets overlapping above the rafters, means for fasteningthe rafters to the sheets, bolts extending through the rafters and thesheets at the overlapped portions and having their heads adjacent theunder side of the rafters, and means fastened to the rafters forsupporting the bolts and holding their heads against rotation.

8. A tank structure including, a metal sheet having bolt holes along oneedge portion thereof, an angular rafter fastened to said sheet andhaving one leg depending and offset from the edge of the sheet, saidrafter having bolt holes registering with the bolt holes of the sheet,bolts passing through the holes of the rafter and'the sheet and havingfiat-sided heads, an angular bar disposed in the angle of the rafter andextending longitudinally thereof, a longitudinal rib on said baropposite the flat sides of the bolt heads for holding the same againstrotation, and means for fastening the depending leg of the bar againstthe depending leg of the rafter.

9. A joint including, overlapping sheets, an underslung rafter engagingthe edge portion of the under sheet, bolts extending through the rafterand sheets and having their heads adjacent the under side of the rafter,and means attached to the under side of the rafter for supporting thebolt heads and. having an upstanding projection for holding said boltheads against rotation.

10. A tank structure including, a metal sheet having bolt holes alongone edge portion thereof, an angular rafter engaging said sheet andhaving one leg depending and offset from the edge of the sheet, saidrafter having bolt holes registering with the bolt holes of the sheet,bolts passing through the holes of the rafter and the sheet and havingflat-sided heads, an angular bar disposed in the angle of the rafter andextending longitudinally thereof, a longitudinal rib on said baropposite the fiat sides of the bolt heads for holding the same againstrotation, means for fastening the depending leg of the bar against thedepending leg of the rafter, and means for fastening the sheet to therafter.

11. A joint including, overlapping sheets, an

underslung angular rafter having its horizontal leg disposed along theunderside of the edge portion of one of the sheets and its vertical legoffset inwardly from the edge of said sheet, whereby said sheet andrafter are unobstructed, means for fastening the edge portions of thesheet and rafter together, bolts extending through the sheets andrafter, and means carried by the rafter for supporting the heads of thebolts, whereby the bolts may be assembled in the rafter and supportedwhile the rafter is being applied to the sheets, said means alsoincluding an integral element for holding the bolt heads againstrotation.

12. A rafter for a bolted joint including, an angular member including ahorizontal leg having spaced bolt holes and a vertical leg, a pluralityof inverted bolts extending through the holes of the horizontal leg ofthe rafter and having angular heads disposed immediately under thehorizontal :leg, and a retaining member mounted in the angle of theangular member and secured thereto, whereby the bolt heads are supportedand the bolts are held in said angular member, the retaining memberhaving an additional element for holding the bolt heads againstrotation;

JAY P. WALKER.

